Christianity is just about being real. We all have feelings, thoughts, wants, needs, lusts, desires, joys, sadness, likes, dislikes, opinions and ideas. God is familiar with all of them. I have always wanted to start a men's group in my home with the name "Beer, Barbecue and Bible Study". I'm not sure the church community is ready for it just yet.

Thursday, February 02, 2006

Agreement and a New Move

Sorry for the long time between posts. I have been fairly busy, but more than that, I have been in a decision-making mode, and it required my full attention. I decided to cut my ties with the company I was with and pursue a new career. My office will be here in town, and I'll start making money immediately. It will be a good move; one that Linda and I prayed about, agreed on, and have peace with.Amos 3:3 says," Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?" Linda and I are not experts on the principal of agreement yet. We are polar opposites in our thought patterns. But we know when we agree on something - there is peace. When we have spent time covering our situation and decision with prayer, and we truly seek God, He is faithful to give us both the same answer. And there is peace.I remember many years ago having a major disagreement with Linda over a situation with an employee. We were truly at a standoff, and neither one of us would budge. Each of us had an equally strong argument to support our stubbornness. We were truly in strife, voices were raised, and I think we even had our arms crossed and were pouting. I don't remember which one of us had the bright idea to "take it to the Lord" in prayer, but one of us, thank God, suggested we put our flesh aside, and inquire of the Lord as to an answer to the impasse. Within a few minutes, both of us had peace, and turned out, neither one of the opinions we so adamantly held onto was the right answer. Each one of us, separately, got the same answer in our hearts from the Lord. "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock, and it will be opened for you." (Luke 11:9) The situation was settled with a completely different answer. And there was peace.The principal of agreement is not only so that there will be peace in a relationship. There can be the absence of an argument if one's opinion or decisions over-shadow the other's - one person is passive, and just decides it's not worth the fight. Lots of couples "agree" that way and avoid external strife. Underneath, though, there is strife, disagreement, and disappointment, which often festers until there is a breaking point somewhere down the road. Then all hell breaks loose.True agreement allows us to truly avoid strife - externally and internally. It also allows us to work together synergetically, and allow God to take us further in our walk. Solomon wrote, in the book of Ecclesiastes 4:9, "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to lift him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; but how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken." In my experience, it has always been better when we are in agreement. We get more done without strife, and our rewards for our efforts are much greater.I'm encouraged and excited about my new occupation. I'll start some preliminary transition next week, as I still have some things to wrap up with my current job. The good new is that I am leaving on excellent terms and have been given an open door to come back. And there is peace.